632 Presidential Addresses 



class power. We have deliberately made our own 

 certain foreign policies which demand the posses- 

 sion of a first-class navy. The Isthmian Canal will 

 greatly increase the efficiency of our navy if the 

 navy is of sufficient size; but if we have an inade- 

 quate navy, then the building of the canal would 

 be merely giving a hostage to any power of superior 

 strength. The Monroe Doctrine should be treated 

 as the cardinal feature of American foreign policy; 

 but it would be worse than idle to assert it unless 

 we intended to back it up, and it can be backed 

 up only by a thoroughly good navy. A good navy 

 is not a provocative of war. It is the surest guar- 

 anty of peace. 



Each individual unit of our navy should be the 

 most efficient of its kind as regards both material 

 and personnel that is to be found in the world. I 

 call your special attention to the need of providing 

 for the manning of the ships. Serious trouble 

 threatens us if we can not do better than we are 

 now doing as regards securing the services of a 

 sufficient number of the highest type of sailormen, 

 of sea mechanics. The veteran seamen of our war- 

 ships are of as high a type as can be found in any 

 navy which rides the waters of the world ; they are 

 unsurpassed in daring, in resolution, in readiness, in 

 thorough knowledge of their profession. They de- 

 serve every consideration that can be shown them. 

 But there are not enough of them. It is no more 

 possible to improvise a crew than it is possible to im- 

 provise a warship. To build the finest ship, with 



